LATIN AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME

(Latin NCAP)

CAR SPECIFICATION, SPONSORSHIP,

TESTING AND RETESTING PROTOCOL

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 AKNOWLEDGEMENT
Copyright ©Latin NCAP 2019 - This work is the intellectual property of Latin NCAP and Euro NCAP. This protocol is based
on the original Euro CAR SPECIFICATION, SPONSORSHIP, TESTING AND RETESTING PROTOCOL which is the intellectual
property of Euro NCAP. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Copying of parts of the original text is by permission of Latin NCAP and Euro NCAP.

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 LATIN AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME
(Latin NCAP)

CAR SPECIFICATION, SPONSORSHIP,

TESTING AND RETESTING PROTOCOL

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 3

2 SPECIFICATIONS OF CARS TO BE TESTED ................................................................................................. 3

2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3
2.2 Definitions ................................................................................................................................................ 3
2.3 Cars sponsored by Latin NCAP .................................................................................................................. 4
2.4 Cars sponsored by car manufacturers ...................................................................................................... 5
2.4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5
2.4.2 Fitment of non-standard safety equipment ................................................................................... 6

3 POST TEST ............................................................................................................................................... 6

4 ACQUISITIONS OF THE CARS TO BE TESTED ............................................................................................. 7

4.1 Cars models offered to consumers ........................................................................................................... 7
4.2 New car models ........................................................................................................................................ 7

5 CHOICE OF TEST LABORATORY ................................................................................................................ 7

6 FITMENT OF NON-STANDARD OR PROTOTYPE COMPONENTS ................................................................ 8

7 FAILURE OF TEST OR SAFETY EQUIPMENT............................................................................................... 8

7.1 Re-test ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
7.2 Re-assessment .......................................................................................................................................... 8
7.2.1 New cars ......................................................................................................................................... 8
7.2.2 Cars already on sale ........................................................................................................................ 9

8 PUBLICATIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 9

9 CONTRACT ............................................................................................................................................ 10

10 SECRETARIAT DISCRETION .................................................................................................................... 10

Annex 1.......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Annex 2.......................................................................................................................................................... 12

Annex 3.......................................................................................................................................................... 13

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1 INTRODUCTION
This protocol details Latin NCAP’s procedures relating to the specification of cars to be tested,
their sponsorship, the testing arrangements and the circumstances when retesting is allowed.

2 SPECIFICATIONS OF CARS TO BE TESTED

2.1 Introduction
When Latin NCAP started, it was agreed that the greatest advertising appeal to consumers
would be achieved by testing the “best selling variant” of car models available in the market.
In Latin America, the best-selling variant often translates to the most affordable variant which
has only basic safety equipment. One of the objectives of Latin NCAP is to improve the safety
levels offered as standard on the market. For this reason, Latin NCAP selects the most basic
safety equipment that is on sale in any of the countries in Latin NCAP market. Latin NCAP also
allows the manufacturer to demonstrate the advantage of better equipped variants, however
star rating for the better equipped variant will not be published until this equipment becomes
standard in all the model range.

2.2 Definitions
“Variant” is defined as a unique combination of body style, engine and equipment grade or
specification. An illustration is given in Annex 1.

“Latin NCAP markets” means South and Central America plus Mexico. A Complete list of the
countries can be found in Annex 3.

“Model Range” is defined as all the variants (i.e. all body styles, engine and equipment grades)
available across Latin NCAP markets under a common model name or under a different name
but same structure.

“Safety Equipment” is defined as that equipment which is overtly aimed at improving

safety. It includes but is not necessarily limited to:

• Restraint systems, including head restraints, child restraints and anchorages

• Knee and leg protection
• Breakaway pedal arrangements
• Pedestrian friendly devices, unless they are only required for particular engine
compartment packages
• Seat belt reminder systems
• Safety marking/labels and switches
• Autonomous Emergency Breaking Systems (AEB)
• Lane Support Systems (LSS)
• Blind Spot Detection systems (BSD)
• Speed Assist Systems (SAS)

It does not include:

• Engine/transmission volume
• Road wheel/tyre size
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 • Sun roof

Secondary Safety or Passive safety as well as ESC, SBR and SA is not exempted in any of the
Latin NCAP markets. AEB, LSS, RED, BSD availability can be exempted only in markets where
there is clear evidence of legal restrictions of the technologies used for those primary safety
or active safety systems1.

2.3 Cars sponsored by Latin NCAP

Latin NCAP Board members collectively decide which cars will be selected for testing. In
principle, any car on sale in any of the Latin America and Caribbean markets, whether old or
recently released, is eligible for testing unless it has been rated before in the previous 2 years,
additional scoring under updated protocol while keeping previous results online is possible.
Latin NCAP selects the most basic safety equipped version of any car available in any Latin
NCAP market. Latin NCAP can decide to audit any model at any time.

Results for car manufacturers’ use, will be valid of maximum of 4 years as from the day that
the result was published.

Latin NCAP´s 2019-2023 protocol involves a more comprehensive set of tests and assessments
compared to previous protocols. These new aspects will result in a more holistic approach to
vehicle safety in the Latin American and Caribbean Countries. Higher star rated vehicles will
be required not only to have a good performance in adult and child occupant protection
(passive), but in other aspects such as rear impact structural integrity, whiplash protection,
pedestrian protection and driving assistance technologies.

The following tests might be required to be sponsored by the Manufacturer, even when the
vehicle is selected by Latin NCAP for a full assessment:

• Whiplash Test
o The manufacturer will be required to supply Latin NCAP with details about the
full range of seats available for that model of vehicle and of any differences
between the driver and front passenger’s seats in the most basic version when
they might influence Whiplash protection. Latin NCAP will choose whether to
test the driver’s or front passenger’s seat. Where no significant differences
exist, this will be on a random basis. Where there are differences, the seat
considered least likely to offer good protection will be chosen.
o At least three seats are required for Whiplash testing, which may be procured
separately from the vehicle. The manufacturer might be responsible for
providing the seats in due time as well as all the geometric and setup
measurements also in due time.
• Pedestrian Protection
o The manufacturer might be responsible for providing all the required parts
(bonnets, bumpers, etc) on time at the test facility however other sources of

1
Market exemptions will only be considered in the case of extraordinary reasons where the implementation of
the technology is explicitly not possible. Corporate decisions due to economic reasons will not be accepted.
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 the parts can be also considered.
o The full map of predicted performance points must be available for Latin NCAP
as per request.
• AEB City, AEB Pedestrian and AEB Inter Urban
• Rescue sheet and UN R32 certificate.

In the case of pick up vehicles with single, double and extra cabin and SUV versions, all will be
assessed as a single model. Single cab chassis versions are exempted from assessment as long
as they are considered N1 vehicles.

2.4 Cars sponsored by car manufacturers

2.4.1 Introduction

Car manufacturers often wish to sponsor a car so that the results may be published at a
certain appropriate time, such as right after the car’s public launch, or to show the passive
safety performance of a car variant that is better equipped than the basic safety variant
(according to requirements in 2.3 and 2.4.2). In such cases, car manufacturers can nominate
and sponsor cars to be tested and rated by Latin NCAP based only in standard fitted
equipment and following fitment rates for the equipment that it applies.

Sponsored vehicles will be required to be assessed in all areas that make up the full
assessment. This will only be exempted in the case where there is a technical restriction on
the vehicle specification (i.e. lack of side head protection will prevent a pole impact
assessment) or a technical decision from Latin NCAP´s board.

Sponsored tests will be published only when the model is available in at least one of the
markets of Latin NCAP

Sponsored tests must be confirmed no less than 4 months prior to test date. At the moment
of nomination for a sponsorship, a non-returnable fee 25.000 Euros might be required to be
paid to Latin NCAP. Only once this is fee is received by Latin NCAP the sponsorship will be
considered as accepted.

Prior to the test, the manufacturer must provide Latin NCAP with a detailed list on where the
vehicle is or will be sold for all the countries covered by Latin NCAP. This must also include all
the variants per country and the detailed safety spec of each variant for each country. The
manufacturer must indicate any difference in the safety specification of each variant in each
market, for example, structural reinforcements, airbags type, airbag volume, airbag firing
times, seat structure and materials, seat and steering wheel adjustments, driver assistance
technologies differences in specs or performance, etc. Any differences found by Latin NCAP
that were not reported prior to the vehicle selection and could represent a difference in safety
performance, might result in a re-assessment of a variant with the different spec at the cost
of the car manufacturer and only the worst performing result will be published.

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2.4.2 Fitment of non-standard safety equipment

Latin NCAP will only allow sponsoring of a car with basic safety equipment such as passive
safety, ESC, SBR and SAS or with additional non-standard equipment such as AEBs, LSS and
BSD as long as they meet the fitment rates described below.

In case the manufacturer wants to sponsor a car with optional equipment that does not meet
the fitment rate, this can only be in addition to a test of the lowest safety variant or a variant
that meets the fitment rate. In such case, Latin NCAP will only use the result of the additional
test to provide comments however will not give a formal rating to the car.

Fitment rates will be established per year, with a minimum units produced among the full
production volume. Additionally, the system will be required to be offered in all markets as a
stand-alone-optional or as a part of a technically defined safety package to be pre-approved
by Latin NCAP. Some markets exemptions under special circumstances will be considered as
mentioned in section 2.2.

The following Fitment rates will be considered:

AEB URBAN, AEB INTERURBAN, AEB Pedestrian

STAND ALONE OPTIONAL in ALL MARKETS
2020 2021 2022 2023
Percentage of Total production 10% 10% 30% 30%

BSD + LDW + LKA+ RED

STAND ALONE OPTIONAL in ALL MARKETS
2020 2021 2022 2023
Percentage of Total production
25% 35% 45% 55%
LKA+LDW+LKA+RED

In the case that AEB systems cannot be offered as standalone optional, AEB points can still be
scored in the case that AEB is fitted in at least 50% of the units sold in the region across all
the variants of the model range. Additionally, at least one variant with AEB must be offered
in every Latin American country where the model is sold. This applies only for 2020 and 20212.

3 POST TEST

As it has been done since Latin NCAP begun, a “one to one” meeting may be conducted
between the manufacturer and Latin NCAP. All requested information, evidence and extra
documentation that the car manufacturer wants to share with Latin NCAP, needs to be sent
prior to the “one to one” meeting. As a general rule, CAD simulations will not be accepted as

2
The manufacturer is responsible for providing the sales market data to prove the fulfilment of the 50% volume
requirement. Suppliers information should be available and accessible to Latin NCAP quarterly, otherwise 50%
volume will not be considered as valid.
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proof of mechanical or dynamic performance. Latin NCAP is not assessing design and intended
performances, but real performances of production cars.

As several tests will be performed to the vehicles besides from the crash tests, some cosmetic
damages might happen during these tests. For example, marks and dents to the steering
wheel or dashboard due to the mount of the ESC and AEB robots, minor damages occurred
to any part of the vehicle during ESC testing etc.

4 ACQUISITIONS OF THE CARS TO BE TESTED

4.1 Cars models offered to consumers

The cars should be offered for sale in at least one of the Latin NCAP markets. Under normal
circumstances, cars to be tested will be purchased by Latin NCAP through an established
dealership in any of the Latin NCAP markets. Latin NCAP will decide the transport company
responsible for transporting the cars to the crash test laboratory from where the car is
sourced.

4.2 New car models

In case the car has not yet been launched in the market at selection time or in case the car is
picked from the manufacturer’s facility, Latin NCAP can accept to select those vehicles under
the following conditions::

A. Only cars from the final production line will be accepted, with the most basic safety
equipment. The car will be selected from distribution area, not pre-selected lot or limited
amount of units especially separated for Latin NCAP.
B. The car should be available for purchase for all consumers by the time of publication.
C. The results will be published at the publication date agreed at the beginning of the process
before the testing commences. This will be the case even if the car introduction in some
of the markets is delayed.
D. Latin NCAP reserves the first right of publication (embargo). Once results are published by
Latin NCAP, the manufacturer can publish the result with Latin NCAP supplied and
authorized material.

The manufacturer will agree to sponsor a full or partial audit test on the same model in any
variant acquired from an established dealer at any time in the future after the launch and
at the request of Latin NCAP. Latin NCAP reserves the right to publish and report any
meaningful differences between the results. The verification test can be decided by Latin
NCAP at any time while the model is still in production. Audit may also apply to sponsored
cars selected in dealers. Audit cars will be selected in dealers.

5 CHOICE OF TEST LABORATORY

The Latin NCAP Board of Directors or Executive Committee will choose the test laboratory for
all cars, including those sponsored by the vehicle manufacturer. Where the car is tested at

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the request of the manufacturer, the manufacturer is responsible for making sure that test
vehicles are delivered to the laboratory on time.

6 FITMENT OF NON-STANDARD OR PROTOTYPE COMPONENTS

The fitment of non-standard or prototype components on the test vehicle is not allowed. Latin
NCAP will ask the manufacturer to sign an agreement document regarding the consequences
of finding a) non standard parts fitted in sponsored cars, b) sponsor car modifications, etc.
Where non-standard or prototype components are found to have been fitted to any of the
car tested, the presence of prototype components will be published by Latin NCAP and the
results will be invalid.

The manufacturer will be given the opportunity to sponsor the testing of an updated car,
fitted with production components. The results of these tests can be published at the same
(agreed) time or at a later date.

7 FAILURE OF TEST OR SAFETY EQUIPMENT

7.1 Re-test
Where the laboratory has not performed the test compliant the published protocol, the full
test will be repeated at the full expense of the laboratory. Under such circumstances, Latin
NCAP will do its utmost to maintain the original timing of publication however some delay
may be inevitable.

7.2 Re-assessment
Where there is a failure, or partial failure of safety related equipment during an official test,
Latin NCAP may withhold publication of the test results, pending investigation of the failure.

NOTE: This covers circumstances where the cause of the problem is still being
investigated or where publication might not be in the public interest. In that case it
would be expected that sales of the car in Latin NCAP markets would be immediately
stopped.

Where a plausible explanation has been provided by the manufacturer and a significant safety
update proposed, Latin NCAP will allow a re-assessment of the updated car model. In case a
manufacturer has requested Latin NCAP for a re-assessment, Latin NCAP will only publish the
results after has been verified that the modification has a permanent character and has been
implemented in the production.

7.2.1 New cars

In case the car model is new or has been in the market for less than 4 months and a low
amount of units were sold before, a re-assessment will be allowed without additional
requirements. The result will replace the original result on the website.

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7.2.2 Cars already on sale
In case the car has been already for more than 4 months in the market or the units sold
exceeded 2000, the manufacturer will be allowed a re-assessment only if it is accompanied
by a market action towards consumers. The result of the re-assessment will be published
alongside the original result.

All costs related to re-assessment will be borne by the manufacturer.

8 PUBLICATIONS
Latin NCAP can only issue a star rating of cars that are on sale in the Latin NCAP markets by
the time of publication. Results will be published via a press release, the Latin NCAP website
(www.latincap.com) and Latin NCAP mobile App. Latin NCAP has the priority in time of the
publication of the results over the manufacturer. Publication dates may be agreed between
Latin NCAP and manufacturer. Results may be used in a Latin NCAP launch.

When a manufacturer chooses to sponsor a car model already on the market, publication of
the results cannot be delayed more than 9 months after the date of the formal sponsorship
offer. The publication date will be agreed prior to the test. It will not be possible to move
except by Latin NCAP for organizational needs.

The star rating is composed by the four assessment boxes. Manufacturers must publish the
results following the Latin NCAP results publication protocols for manufacturers in Annex 2
and the Latin NCAP Communications guidelines. Results plate will be shown according to Latin
NCAP Visual Identity Guide3.

Example:

3
Contact Latin NCAP Secretariat

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9 CONTRACT
All testing and ratings activities at the request of manufacturers will be done under a contract
with Latin NCAP or Global NCAP. Latin NCAP or Global NCAP will invoice the manufacturers
for the testing, transport, car, publication and relevant costs. In order to confirm sponsored
tests, Latin NCAP might require the transfer in advance of non-returnable 25.000 Euro fee.

10 SECRETARIAT DISCRETION
It is impossible to foresee all eventualities and decisions often have to be made quickly. If the
Latin NCAP Steering Group needs to waive any of the above requirements, justification for
this must be reported to the Latin NCAP Board of Directors. Where appropriate, revisions of
the Latin NCAP protocols or procedures may result.

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 Annex 1
Illustration of break-down of model range by variant

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 Annex 2
Protocol of results publication4.

4
Contact Latin NCAP Secretariat for additional requirements

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 Annex 3
Markets covered by Latin NCAP

• Antigua & Barbuda

• Argentina
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Cayman Islands
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• French Guiana
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Jamaica
• Martinique
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Puerto Rico
• Saint Barthélemy
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos Islands
• Suriname
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
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